1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a front structure of a vehicle body, and more particularly to a front structure of a vehicle body having a cowl box under the windshield.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As described in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 56(1981)-168441, there has been known a front structure of a vehicle body in which a cowl box is provided to extend in the direction of the width of the vehicle body along the lower edge of the windshield. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, a dashboard upper panel C and a front cowl plate D are disposed below the space between the lower edge of the windshield A and the rear edge of the hood B to extend in the direction of the width of the vehicle body. The dashboard upper panel C and the front cowl plate D define a cowl box G separated from both the passenger compartment E and the engine compartment F. The cowl box G is generally provided to ensure a vehicle body rigidity and/or to introduce the fresh air into the passenger compartment. Conventionally, the dashboard upper panel C, which defines the bottom and the rear face of the cowl box G, and the front cowl plate D, which defines the front face and the top face of the same, are fixed together such as by spot welding, for instance, flange portions C1 and C2 respectively formed on the front and rear portions of the panel C to the flange portions D1 and D2 respectively formed on the front and rear portions of the plate D. A weather strip H is mounted on the rear junction of the panel C and the plate D, i.e., the flange portions C2 and D2, and the lower edge of the windshield A is engaged with the weather strip H so that the windshield A is supported by the cowl box G.
However, this structure is disadvantageous in that when a collision forces the engine rearward, pushing the cowl box G toward the passenger compartment E, there is a possibility that the portion of the cowl box G supporting the windshield A will be deformed or the lower edge of the windshield A disengaged therefrom, thereby breaking the windshield A. This is undesirable in terms of passenger safety.